Mallet



(No Model.)

J. KRATZ.

MALLET.

No. 492,608. Patented Feb. 28, 1893;

i I 1NvE:N'I 1J a0. Jam/ 62M 0. Mitzi JOHN KRATZ, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

MALLET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 492,608, dated February 28, 1893. Application filed June 7, 1892- Serial No. 435,826. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN KRATZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mallets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved mallet for driving bungs into beer-kegs, and the object is to expedite the operation of introducing the drawingoff tube. By the old method a bung with a cork closing its bore was driven in the bung-hole forcing the stopper before it into the keg, and then the tube through which the beer is drawn off, run through the bung pushing the cork therein before it into the keg. The objections to this method are that in driving in the bung with an ordinary hammer or mallet, it will frequen tly be struck on the side which will cause it to go in crooked,and make a bad joint with the keg; also a cork is necessary to prevent the escape of the beer through the bung before the drawing-0E tube is inserted. I overcome these objections by the use of a specially constructed mallet whereby the bung may be driven in while the drawing-off tube is fitted through it. a

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 shows a section view of the end or head of a beer-keg, a stopper in the bung-hole thereof, the bung (in section), the drawing-0E tube fitting the bore of same, and myimproved mallet,+these parts being in the positions they occupy as the bung is commenced to be driven in by said mallet. Fig. 2 shows a side view of the mallet; and Fig. 3, a bottom view of the same.

The letter, A, designates the head of a beerkeg; B,a stopper which fills the bung-hole in said head; 0, a bung-bushing which is to take the place of the said stopper and which has a bore through it D, a tube which fits said bore and extends to the bottom of the keg to draw off the beer; and, E, a suitable faucet on the outer end of said drawing-oh tube.

The usual method of inserting the drawingofi tube has been to set the hollow bung, C,- before the tube is fitted through it,against the stopper, B, and drive it in with a suitable implement such as an ordinary hammer or mallet, thereby pushing out the stopper before it into the keg. A cork is inserted in the bore of the said bung to prevent the beer flowing out before the tube is inserted. After the bung has been driven tightlyin, the drawingofi tube, D,is' run through the bung pushing the cork out before it.

By my method I place the hollow bung, O, with the drawing-0E tube, D, fitting its bore, against the stopper, B, and employ a mallet having a special construction whereby the bung may be driven in while the tube remains in said bung. This mallet comprisesacircular block, G, of wood or other suitable material having a flat base and bound around the outside by a metallic band, H, to prevent it from splitting. The upper part of the block is rounded off and tapered to a narrow neck, a, above which is an enlarged head I). This shape adapts the mallet to the hand so that it may be grasped around the narrow neck with the thumb and fore-finger, while the remainder of the hand bears on the rounding portion of the block. The enlarged head prevents the mallet slipping from the grasp.

The mallet-block has a central longitudinal bore, I, through it, and a radial slot, J, extends from said bore out of the block and the full length of the latter;

A mallet having the construction above described is fitted around the drawing-oil? tube, the latter entering through the radial slot, J, into the bore, I. Now the mallet may be reciprooated on the said tube to drive in the bung-bushing, and the tube forms a central guide for said mallet, which insures that it will always strike the bung squarely and drive it in straight.

It will be seen that with my arrangement the necessity of a cork in the bore of the bung is obviated, as the bung and drawing-off tube are inserted together, with the latter fitting in the former. I

My improved mallet is simple and strong and may be very expeditiously employed.

The radial slot, J, merely facilitates the application of the mallet to the tube, D, so that the bore, I, may fit on the tube. The invention is not limited to a mallet having such a slot, however, as any other means which will enable the mallet with its central bore to be put on the tube, is within the principle of my invention.

Ico

said bung-bushing; and a mallet havinga central here to receive the said tube and reciprocate thereon and strike the bung-bushing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN KRATZ. Witnesses:

F. PARKER DAVIS, JNo. T. MADDOX'. 

